Sunday, 19 September 2010

The Skill Scale

I have just made my first cushion for our new (very smart, and not like us at all) sofas.

I used my gorgeous Cath Kidston fabrics from my birthday and did a very simple 3½" square patchwork which has worked really well and I love it.

I've backed it with a Greengate tea towel that I bought at a Country Living show a couple of years ago so I could use the fabric for something - I never had any intention of drying dishes with it! ;o)

Daisy has been really funny because when we first got our very grown up, brown leather sofas she was totally horrified that I was planning on making bright and happy CK cushions for them. "NORMAL" people don't have cushions like that on their sofas. Normal people have cushions that blend in. Did you know that? Now when have I every tried to be normal??? I had to explain to Daisy that banning bright patchy cushions from the sitting room and making it "grown up" would be like banning ME from the room. I'm afraid I'm never going to be subtle and stylish!

Anyway, when I brought the cushion in from the sewing room last night she agreed that it was lovely.

I hope she agrees when she sees the Granny square cushion I'm also making..................

Because I know she isn't going to approve of our plans to build a whole wall of bookshelves in the sitting room like these above Dot's bed in their new shared bedroom.

Especially (according to her) as they will be opposite the window of all things! NORMAL people don't have walls of books. And passers-by are going to be able to SEE them! How horrific! ;o) She does make me laugh and I totally love her for her sense of style even if it is the opposite of mine (and secretly I think she is probably right some of the time).

Anyway, I'm digressing......

The title of this post is "the skill scale" because I wanted to contrast my lovely but very simple patchwork cushion above with this amazing tumbling blocks quilt top that is going up for auction next week at our local auction galleries.

It has been completely hand pieced using old clothing and still has all the paper templates in the back with lovely copper-plate handwriting from letters, lists, bills etc.

It's HUGE and really impressive so I hope it sells well as it deserves to be appreciated by someone who may even be able to finish it.

I know that whatever skills I have now or learn in the future, I will never hand-sew something of that size and technique because it really must have taken years to do and I know I'll never be that patient or dedicated!

I'd love to have bookshelves like that all over the livingroom! Unfortunately hubby doesn't agree...he doesn't see the sense in books at all...but I have a full wall in my sewingroom, and it's bursting with books!

we have brown leather sofas and love them , they get better with age too . Your cushions look great , I've been looking for some new ones but they're all a bit boring - maybe I'll have to take a leaf out of your book !!

I think your cushion looks lovely on your new sofa - in fact, the more mismatching cushions the merrier as far as I'm concerned!

I seem to remember being mortally embarrassed by some of the things my parents did/said when I was young. Daisy would hate it here - we have a wall of books in one room, and when redecorating the lounge, we're going to build another wall of books - facing the street too - how embarrassing :o)

Wow! That quilt is gorgeous Lucy - I'd love to be a fly on the wall to see how much it goes for. You and Daisy are too funny. I LOVE a wall of books and it doesn't matter which lovely room they choose to live!

Lucy your cushion is gorgeous. And the Green Gate backing is just like my tea towel that my family has used to wipe up things like, um... tea with. It's not so pretty any more.Maybe you should bid at the auction, who knows, could be your lucky day and you could be the only one in the room that appreciates it, even if it's unfinished :)